One of the many problems facing veterans seeking just disability ratings, or seeking to redress wrongs in this area, has been that they are being bounced back and forth between the Pentagon and VA.
The new VA Secretary, General Eric Shinseki, promised the House Veterans Affairs Committee to correct this:
The secretary acknowledged ongoing challenges in creating a “seamless transition between military and VA health care and benefits.” Solving those problems comes down to leadership involvement, he said, insisting that technology alone can’t get the job done. He said changing VA’s culture will require innovation and initiative to be relevant and responsive to veterans.
Shinseki said he and Defense Secretary Gates will personally lead the next two meetings of the DoD/VA senior oversight committee, a joint executive body normally headed by their deputies, to send a clear message down the chain that they intend to be engaged on these important issues.
Shinseki said he supports automatic enrollment of wounded warriors in the VA. “Having that as a requirement alone will force the two agencies to work together and take care of the handoff issues between their departments,” he said.
Wow, finally the two departments that manage every aspect of military and veterans lives and affairs will be talking to each other!
Also:
When asked if he would support advance (two-year) VA health care appropriations to ensure continuity of funding between fiscal years, the new secretary said he supports “timely funding” and would work with the committee to do his part to prevent delays in the budget process.
MOAA and other military and veterans associations have supported the advance funding concept because of Congress’ routine failure to approve VA funding bills until well into each new fiscal year, which forces interim VA budget cutbacks and stalls needed new programs.
“I promise to be a forceful advocate for veterans, and I promise to be forthright and direct to you [Congress] – taking care of veterans is what the VA is all about,” Shinseki said in his closing remarks.
This good news is reported by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) in a brief to its members titled: “Gen. Shinseki: From ‘Soldier’s Soldier’ to ‘Veteran’s Veteran.'”
The MOAA is the nation’s largest and most influential association of military officers—an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.